Childhood Memories
by Klutzygirl33
Summary: Sam is hurt on a hunt, and stays at Bobby's. He finds pictures going through books, and realizes some things he forgot about his father. Set post "Lucifer Rising".


**Disclaimer**: I don't own Supernatural and never will. No copyright infringement intended.  
**Author's Note**: Written for the summer_sam_love ficathon at LiveJournal, hosted by Faye Dartmouth. If you belong to LJ, you should check the fics out. There's a few fics there already.

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Sam Winchester was not thrilled about getting left out of the hunt that Dean was going on in New Mexico. Unfortunately, he was out of the hunting game for the next few weeks, until his leg healed up. Sam had known that he probably wouldn't hunt for awhile the second he heard that sickening crack. The pain that followed the broken leg had convinced him he wouldn't hunt for awhile, too. Now he was staying with Bobby until Dean came back from his solo hunt.

"I think I'm going to catalogue your books," Sam informed the older hunter. He loved Bobby's library, and it would help him get his mind off the constant, crushing guilt. But even that was getting better. With Bobby and Dean's support, Sam was slowly starting to return to normal.

"You want me to follow you?" Bobby questioned as Sam grabbed his crutches and somehow stood up. Bobby had no clue how he managed to stand up, but he was somehow doing it.

Sam shrugged. "If you want to. I'm fine, though," he assured him. Sam knew that Bobby would most likely end up following him anyway, and he was right. Bobby was right behind him when Sam arrived in the library.

Bobby sat down on a chair and decided to watch Sam. He really had nothing else to do. He didn't mind spending the day with Sam. Never had.

Bobby watched as Sam begin looking through his books. It was probably going to take him awhile to do this, especially since Sam loved research. Dean would never come in here to sort books until Sam gave him the puppy dog eyes.

"After Dean picks me up, will you promise to keep the books in order?" Sam hopefully questioned. He didn't want the books messed up again. That would lead to him reorganizing the library yet again, and Sam didn't think he could handle going through all of the books for a second or third time.

Bobby laughed. "I'll try my best, Sam." There was no way these books would be kept organized, but there was no way he was telling Sam that. It probably wouldn't go too well, and the kid needed to be distracted anyway. In fact, Dean had left Bobby with orders that Sam was to be distracted by anything possible to get his mind off the apocalypse.

Sam had been going through the books for an hour when he discovered a picture of him and Dean playing in the junkyard with one of Bobby's old dogs. "What's this of this?" he questioned. Sam didn't remember this picture being taken at all.

"Let me see, Sam." Sam gave Bobby the picture and the older man looked it over. Unlike Sam, he remembered this day clearly. John had been laid up with a broken ankle, and couldn't hunt. Bobby had brought all three Winchesters back to his house. "I definitely remember this."

"Can you tell me the story?" Sam really wanted to know what had happened when this picture was taken.

"Of course I can. You were five and Dean was nine. Your father had been hurt on a hunt, and he decided the three of you needed some down time. Luckily for him, it was summer and you boys were out of school."

"_Daddy, can Dean and I go play outside?" five year old Sam asked John. He and Dean had just finished reading Sam's favorite books, and now he was bored._

"_Uncle Bobby and I will out with you," John told him. He didn't want his boys playing out there alone. John didn't want them to get hurt. He worried about Sammy and Dean._

_Bobby and John followed the two little boys out to the junkyard. John sat down on a chair and Bobby handed him his camera. He figured that John would end up needing it._

_The boys ran around the junkyard playing, and Bobby eventually joined them. He had nothing else to do and might as well have fun with Dean and Sammy. _

_Eventually five year old Sammy went bolting up to his father and climbed up on his lap. "Daddy, I love you," the tired little boy murmured as Dean and Bobby came up the steps._

"_I love both of you boys," John replied as Dean went to his father's side. He hoped they never doubted that. John would be dead without his sons. _

_Bobby and the three Winchesters ate dinner outside because it was so nice out. Sammy fell asleep against his father's shoulder by 8:00. In a rare moment of clinginess, nine year old Dean joined his father and brother, and also fell asleep._

"It was a really nice day," Bobby informed Sam, who had paid attention to the entire story without being distracted by anything.

Sam really wished he could remember that day. It sounded nice. "Dad let Dean and I sleep on his lap? With a broken ankle? I really can't picture it."

"Try to find other pictures," Bobby encouraged. He knew they were around here somewhere. Sam just had to find them.

Sam did that and continued to search for more pictures. He soon came across a picture of himself as a toddler and John reading a book. Dean was sitting on the floor, baby Sam on his lap.

"I remember that day too," Bobby commented. He decided to start telling the story, and launched into it.

"_Daddy, can you read this book to me and Sammy?" asked six year old Dean. He normally read the books to his baby brother, but didn't feel like it tonight._

"_Of course I can, dude. Let me see it." Dean very rarely asked John to read him and Sam stories anymore, so John was going to take any chance he could get. He wasn't passing this up._

_Dean handed the book to his father and sat down. Two year old Sammy toddled over to his brother and sat down on his lap. He refused to get up._

_Bobby came into the room while John was halfway through a second book. Luckily for him, his camera was on the nightstand. He took a quick picture and then left the Winchesters to their own devices._

"Dad used to read stories to us?" Sam was in awe. He couldn't picture his father doing these things. When had his resentment towards his dad make him forget all this stuff?

Bobby nodded. "John the hunter and John the father were two very different. He loved you both, but he couldn't always show it. Don't ever doubt his love for you boys. You were the two most important people in his life."

Sam and Bobby began looking through the pictures together a few minutes. Bobby told Sam stories about every single one of them, even if Sam remembered.

When Dean returned four hours later, Bobby and Sam were still going through pictures. He joined the two for stories of their childhood.

Bobby and Sam were closer than they had been since Dean had died and Sam had bolted.

Even with the apocalypse, everything was back to the way it should be for the family of three.

Nothing could ever tear the Winchesters and Bobby Singer apart.


End file.
